Tractor.



A. W. SUTHERLAND.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II. 1914.

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TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11.1914.

Patened June 8, 1915.

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A. W. SUTHERLAND.

TRACTOR.

APPLCATION FILED APR. Il. }9I4.

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ALEXANDER W. SUTHERLAND, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 8, 1915.

Application led April 11, 1914. Serial N o. 831,177.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER W. Surn- ERLAND, a citizen of Canada, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and usel Improvement in Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tractors, which 'are more particularly adapted for general farm utility work, such as the drawing of plows and farming implements, the carrying or drawing of loads of grain or other commodities, and for other purposes, where a light and efficient tractor is useful.

Among the primary objects of my invention are simplicity in construction and eiliciency in use, together with the production of inexpensive and light weight construction.

In the accompany drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line X-X, of Fig. 1, the seat being removed; Fig. 3 is a plan of a detail; Fig. 4 is a section on the line Y-Y, of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line Z-Z of Fi 2.

Ign the drawings, A indicates a quadrangular suitably buttressed frame, having rear supporting wheels 2, mounted upon the axle or shaft 3, which is carried by the leaf springs 4, said springs being supported by brackets 5 secured to said frame and links 6 pivotally connected to said brackets and springs. The frame carries the prime mover such as gas engine B, from which leads the usual drive shaft 7 in a forward direction, said shaft being connected respectively by universal joints 8 and 9 to the crank shaft l0 of the engine, and to a screw pinion 11, which is journaled in the casing 12 on said frame. A transverse drive shaft 13 is journaled in the casing 12 and journal box 14 secured to said frame, and carries a worm gear 15, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the worm pinion for the purpose of assisting in transmitting power from the engine to rsaid transverse drlve shaft. The transverse drive shaft carries a sprocket 16, which is connected by a chain belt 17, passing over another sp'rocket 18 mounted on a counter transverse shaft 19. This cc`- M transverse drive shaft is mounted in the journal blocks 20 on the frame, and carries drive sprockets such as 21. Chalns such as rhaving a pair of arms 33 and 34 22 pass around the sprockets 21 and 23, the

latter being mounted upon the rear supporting wheels 2, thus communicating motion from the main transverse drive shaft to the rear wheels when the engine is in operation.

Under the forward end of the frame, a single carrying .wheel C is positioned. This wheel is adapted for steering the vehicle and is journaledupon a shaft 25, which is mounted in a pair of longitudinal leaf springs 26 and 27, suitable supporting blocks 28 being secured to the leaf springs by bolts 29 through which the shaft passes. The rearward ends of the leaf springs 26 and 27 are hinged upon the brackets 30 secured to the lower sides of cross arms 55 on the steering circle D to be hereinafter described, and the forward ends are swung by links 31 pivotally secured to the brackets 32 on said cross arms, thus compensating for the movement of the springs 26 and 27 when they are compressed. For the purpose of preventing the wheel C and its shaft 25 tilting laterally from a vertical plane, a yoke is provided and a body portion or shaft 35, the latter being journaled horizontally in journal blocks 36, secured to the lower surface of the steering circle D. The free ends of the arms 33 and 34 are free to swing up and down with the shaft 25, but serve to steady the shaft and hold it in horizontal position at all times irrespective of the movement of the springs 26 and 27, which carry the steering wheel C.

The steering circle D is in the form of a circular band of T iron, the cross end 37 of which stands vertically, and the body portiony or bar 38 horizontally and outwardly from the circle. This bar 38 is toothed on part of its periphery and forms a rack with which a pinion 39 carried by the lower end of a steering post or shaft 40 meshes. This steering post is shown mounted in journal blocks 41, and 42, which are respectively mounted upon the frame A and the rearward side of the radiator 43, and carries upon its upper end an operating wheel 44 within easy reach of a driver on the seat 45. The circle is suitably braced and reinforced by said cross arms 55, and is mounted to turn freely concentrically between rollerl bearings such as E, there being four bearings illustrated equally spaced apart around the periphery of the circle. Each of these 11C bearings consists of a suitable frame structure 47 secured to the main frame A, and having journaled therein antifriction rollers, a pair of rollers 48 being mounted to guide the upper surface of the bar 38 of the circle, an antifriction roller 49 j ournaled to guide the lower surface of said bar and another antifriction roller 50 journaled to guide the periphery of said bar 88. By this means the circle is adapted to turn freely and is supported below the main frame A of the vehicle.

For the purpose of driving the steering wheel C, a shaft 51 is journaled in journal supports 52 mounted upon the cross arms 55 of the circle, one end of this shaft being connected by a universal joint 53, to the end of a driving shaft 54. The shaft 54 is'journaled in journal supports 56 mounted-upon the supporting arms 55, which are carried by the main frame A. The shaft 51 is operatively connected to the front steering wheel C to drive the same at substantially the same surface speed as the rear wheels are driven, by means of a chain belt 57 passing over sprockets 58 and 59 respectively mounted upon the shaft 51, and the steering wheel C. 'Ihe shaft 54 receives motion to drive the steering wheel C by a chain 60 passing over sprockets 61 and 62 respectively mounted upon a shaft 54, andthe driving shaft 13. The universal joint 53 compensates for the steering motion of the steering wheel. The length ofthe belt 57 is suflicient to permit the extreme outward movement between the steering wheel and the frame A, slack being taken up when the springs are compressed by means of a slack adjuster F. This slack adjuster is in the form of an antifriction roller 66, the periphery of which travels over the surface of the belt 57, said roller being journaled uponv a lever arm 67 which is pivoted substantially midway between its ends upon a supporting block 68, carried by the supporting arm 55. The end of this lever opposite that on which the roller 66 is journaled, is pivotally connected by link 69 f to a boss 70, on the bearing block 28, in

which the shaft 25 is mounted. As the spring 26 is compressed or expands, the link 69 tilts the lever arm 67, causing the slack adjusting roller 66' to compensate the slack of the chain.

The frame A may obviously be of suitable form, it being buttressed and reinforced to produce the necessary strength that is necessary to withstand stresses to which a vehicle of this kind is subjected and to prevent wrenching or distortion of the operating mechanism effecting the efliciency of the device. The front steering wheel and the parts by which it is guided are adapted to permit the vehicle being easily and quickly turned and the entire apparatus is so i5 constructed, that a maximum amount of of material. The entire apparatus may be constructed of stock materials, thus produc-4 ing a very inexpensive vehicle which is par-A ticularly although by no means not exclusively adapted for farming purposes.

In accordance with the patent statutesI have described the principles of operation. of my invention, together with the appa-A ratus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative, and that the in vention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other'than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I.' claim as new and desire to protectby Letfters Patent is 1. A tractor, comprising, in combination, a suitable frame having supporting wheels4 at its rear end, and a guiding wheel at its: opposite end, a circle journaled below said frame and above said guiding wheel having a toothed rack on its periphery, a pinion meshing with the teeth of said rack by which said circle is adapted to be turned for steering purposes, a pair of springs upon which. said steering wheel is mounted to revolve, said springs being interposed between said i circle and steering wheel to support the loadl of the vehicle on said steering wheel, a pair of driving arms rigidly connected and jour-- nal'd upon said circle to permit their opposite ends swinging up and down in unison, said opposite ends being connected with said springs to prevent said wheel tilting from vertical position and means carried by said vehicle for revolving said steering wheel.

2. A tractor,- comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a pair of rear drive wheels adapted to be independently driven, a steering wheel below the forward end of' said frame, a steering circle journaled below the forward end of said frame in a substantially horizontal plane having a toothed rack on its periphery, a pinion having teeth meshing with the teeth of said rack for steering purposes, a pair of. supporting springs between said circle and said steering wheel, said steering wheel being journaled to revolve between said springs, a yoke having a body journaled `upon said circle and a pair of rigidly supported arms connected to said springs, said arms being arsprocket on said steering wheel, said ad- 11a-me to this specification, in the presence of juster being connected with said springs two subscribing witnesses. and arranged to actuate said adjuster and cause it to compensate for the Variation in ALEXANDER W' SUTHERLAND' distance between the sprockets over which Witnesses: said belt passes. CLARENCE W. HALLERT,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my STELLA L. WASGHENBERGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Wahln l n, D. 0." 

